Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sam's Story: "This Could Be the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship...."

I started the Sam's Story blog a couple of years ago. I
wanted to write it from the viewpoint of Sam, my beloved grey-cheeked
parakeet, who died on February 17, 2011 at the age of twenty-one. He was
a real character, and I thought it would be fun to observe the world
through his eyes.

It
might have been, had he still been alive. But it just became too
painful, so I shut the blog down for a few months while I decided where
to go with it. I think I've figured it out. I hope. I can write about
Sam--and my other critter companions--here when the spirits move me.

Sam
was six months old, not long out of the shell, when we found each other
at a small pet shop in south St. Louis. I'd gone there to buy a parrot
for my dad for Father's Day. He'd seen one he really liked, but Dad
wasn't the type to spend that kind of money on himself, so I was going
to surprise him.

The surprise was on me. The bird Dad wanted had
already been sold. Disappointed, I wandered around the store for a bit,
considered trying another pet shop, maybe settling for a different
bird...but as I wandered through the store the store, I found the love
of my life. That's what it's like, you know, when you find the animal
companions who are meant to be yours. It's a little like falling in love
when you see them for the first time. You just know in your heart that
it's right.

I knew it. Sam knew it, too. There were two birds in
the cage. One was shy and moved to the back. The other, my Sam, came
forward with the boldness I came to know was just his personality. He
looked up at me as if he'd recognized me immediately and wanted to renew
an old friendship.

I think that's why I decided to name him Sam. I
had never given two animal companions the same name before...but he
reminded me so much of a canary-winged parakeet I'd had as a teenager,
it just felt right. Coincidentally, Sam the First had come from a store
directly across the street from that little pet shop, twenty years
earlier. If I believed in reincarnation....

At any rate, I knew
this was meant to be. I told one of the sales clerks I wanted to buy
him. When he opened the cage, Sam flew out—and straight up to the cash
register. He was anxious to go home!

It was to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship....

Originally posted at Sam's Story on February 27, 2013. Also reposted at WordPress.

I love Sam's story Norma and I absolutely agree about the 'just knowing'.. I felt it with Syd ( little black cat) she wanted to be here as much as I wanted her, unfortunately she belonged to someone else, who moved and took her away..I keep hoping she'll find her way back but am beginning to give up hope :(